Local group wants to manage problem-plagued Skeldon Factory

Apr 10, 2017 News

A local group has approached the government to manage the troubled Skeldon Sugar Factory. The group from the East Berbice Development Association is the third group that has approached the government to take over the management of that factory.
Previously, a Trinidadian company, along with an Indian company, have expressed an interest in the management of the new factory. Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder said that he welcomes the most recent interest and the three groups have been given until mid-year to present a proposal.
Holder said that the local group that expressed an interest, indicated that they are looking to mobilize local people and Guyanese from across the diaspora, who have an interest in helping to resurrect the industry.

Minister of Agriculture Noel Holder

Holder said that this interest was communicated when a group of Berbicians and the Ministry of Agriculture held discussions on the future of the industry. He said that the local group indicated that they are familiar with the local sugar industry and they were of the view that the familiarity and the fact that they are Guyanese stand them in good stead to make a meaningful contribution to the industry’s rebirth.
Holder explained that government is actively looking to privatize the estate since it is very burdensome for the state to continue to undertake this work. He observed that it is very frustrating that after the new factory was installed by a Chinese firm to the value of US$200M it is still dogged with a plethora of issues.
At the moment, the factory is inoperable, since there has been a technical fault that local engineers could not fix. Kaieteur News has learnt that South African engineers are currently working to fix the problem.
Holder said that the ‘modern’ Skeldon sugar factory is the single largest investment in Guyana’s history and one of the greatest failures.

The troubled factory

The minister said that what is also a source of concern is the fact that the Chinese company that did the construction of the factory cannot be held accountable, since too much time has passed and the government is now saddled with the cost for remedial work.
It was for this and other reasons that Holder believes that the Skeldon factory should be privatized. Asked about alternative and inexpensive ways that can be tapped into to rectify the problem, Holder pointed out the while the old sugar factory would have been welcomed that option is no longer available.
The government was approached to implement legislation which will allow for private players to make contributions to the industry without hindrance. The government is to make known its plans for the industry going forward.

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